New imidazole-2-thiones linked to acenaphythylenone as dual DNA intercalators and topoisomerase II inhibitors: structural optimization, docking, and apoptosis studies.

In this article, a new series of 2-((3,5-disubstituted-2-thioxo-imidazol-1-yl)imino)acenaphthylen-1(2H)-ones were synthesized. Imidazole-2-thione with acenaphthylen-one gave a hybrid scaffold that integrated key structural elements essential for DNA damage via direct DNA intercalation and inhibition of the topoisomerase II enzyme. All the synthesized compounds were screened to detect their DNA damage using a terbium fluorescent probe. Results demonstrated that 4-phenyl-imidazoles 5b and 5e in addition to 4-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazoles 5h and 5j would induce detectable potent damage in ctDNA. The four most potent compounds as DNA intercalators were further evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against HepG2, MCF-7 and HCT-116 utilizing the MTT assay. The highest anticancer activity was recorded with compounds 5b and 5h against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 which were 1.5- and 3- folds more active than doxorubicin, respectively. Therefore, imidazole-2-thione tethered acenaphthylenone derivatives can be considered as promising scaffold for the development of effective dual DNA intercalators and topoisomerase II inhibitors.

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of promising pyrazole derivative.

The development of new COX-2 inhibitors with analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy as well as minimal gastrointestinal, renal and cardiovascular toxicity, is of vital importance to patients suffering from chronic course pain and inflammatory conditions. This study aims at evaluating the therapeutic activity and adverse drug reactions associated with the use of the newly synthesized pyrazole derivative, compound AD732, E-4-[3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-hydroxyliminomethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]benzenesulfonamide, as compared to indomethacin and celecoxib as standard agents. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma tests; formalin-induced hyperalgesia and hot plate tests were done to study analgesic activity. In vitro tests to determine COX-1/COX-2 selectivity and assessment of renal and gastric toxicity upon acute exposure to AD732 were also conducted. Compound AD732 exhibited promising results; higher anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects compared to standard agents, coupled with the absence of ulcerogenic effects and minimal detrimental effects on renal function. Additionally, compound AD732 was a less potent inhibitor of COX-2 in vitro than celecoxib, which may indicate lower potential cardiovascular toxicity. It may be concluded that compound AD732 appears to be a safer and more effective molecule with promising potential for the management of pain and inflammation.

New heterocyclic hybrids of pyrazole and its bioisosteres: design, synthesis and biological evaluation as dual acting antimalarial-antileishmanial agents.

A new series of pyrazole derivatives were synthesized by hybridization with five-membered heterocyclic moieties such as thiazoles, thiazolidinones, 1,3,4-thiadiazoles and pyrazolines. The compounds were evaluated for their in vivo antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei infected mice and the most active derivatives were further examined for their in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine resistant (RKL9) strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Compounds 2c, 2d, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 6c, 8c and 9b had more than 90% parasite suppression activity of that found with the antimalarial reference standard drug, chloroquine phosphate and had lower IC50 values than chloroquine. Compounds 4b and 9b were the most active derivatives, and their activities were 5-fold higher than chloroquine. All the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania aethiopica promastigotes and amastigote. The results showed that compounds 2c, 2d, 3d, 4b, 4c, 4d and 5a had lower or similar IC50 values than the reference standard drugs, amphotericin B and miltefosine. Compound 3d had the highest antileishmanial activity. Collectively, compounds 2c, 2d, 4b, 4c, 4d and 5a exhibited dual activity against malaria and leishmaniasis and were safe and well tolerated by the experimental animals orally up to 300 mg/kg and parenterally up to 100 mg/kg.